What is Social Media?

Wherever you look or whatever you focus your attention on, you’ll notice social media’s presence in our everyday lives. Everything imaginable has one. Your favorite TV channel, news program, brand or company. Even a local dog, cat or even an iguana may have one, it’s just that the algorithm hasn’t shown it to you yet.. The term influencer would not exist, or even if it would, it would appear in a different shape or form in front of the masses.

The plain old newspaper which was the past’s mass media platform is being replaced by bits and pieces which you can see all around social media today. Some even swear to get their news from meme sites nowadays. Not in the most accurate form, but who is to know what is true and what is fabricated on the web these days.

In this article we will discover what shaped social media as we know it. What impacts it has on us and what you should look out for both as a consumer and a creator as well.

Social Media as we Know It

We can talk about social media as digital platforms and apps where users consume and create content. The users can also interact with these posts and even share them on their own feeds or with each other. Compared to it, traditional media’s content is made by experts and professionals in various fields. Meanwhile social media lets its users actively create and share their content. 

Key characteristics of social media include:

1. User-Generated Content: Social media platforms enable users to create and share their own content. Whether it is simple text, images, videos, or audio. This makes it possible for a diverse range of voices and perspectives to be represented to everyone.
2. Interactivity: Social media is basically a two-way communication highway. It allows us to engage with content and with one another. Through likes, comments, shares, and private messages. Speaking of messaging apps, there are many to choose from and each of them have their own unique features or properties that might interest you the most. All in all, these  types of interactions help start lively conversations. Making it easy to give and receive feedback.
3. Community Building: Different platforms help users form and join virtual communities. Taking in account their shared interests, hobbies, or causes. These communities provide support, foster collaboration, and help people connect with like minded individuals.
4. Real-Time Updates: Social media lets users get and share updates in a jiffy. Making it useful for keeping up with breaking news, trending topics, and personal events.
5. Algorithmic Content Delivery: It is well known that social media platforms use algorithms to select and deliver content to users. All based on their interests, behavior, and engagement history. These algorithms affect what users see in their feeds and how they interact with content. Not to mention this is how ads can be hand picked for everyone. Ever wondered how ads know what exactly you have been on the lookout for? That’s how, it is all thanks to the algorithm.

Social Media Throughout the Years

The latest generations might not remember, but social media used to be a lot simpler in the past. You had your wall where you could see posts from your friends, game invitations for in-game prizes and collectibles, it was loads of fun. It went through a lot of changes. Some good, some bad, some downright useless andt silly.

1. Early Beginnings: Social media started with early internet tools like bulletin board systems (BBS) and forums. There users could send messages and share files. Usenet was one of the earliest online communities. It helped shape how social media is used and viewed today. There are two social networks worthy of mentioning here: Six Degrees and Friendster. By the looks of it, the latter is still in function today.
2. Mainstream Adoption: In the mid-2000s the big three came to be: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. These platforms kicked off social media by introducing new features. Such as status updates, news feeds, and networking tools for professionals. They all started out as platforms for keeping up with friends and posts about them. With time each outgrew themselves to become business driving platforms in their own ways.
3. Diversification and Specialization: Then in the 2010s, social media began to diversify. It gave rise to specialized platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and last but not least TikTok. You could pretty well be present on all of the above platforms and still could find some aspects and features that one did better than the other.
4. Integration and Innovation: In recent years, social media has started working with new digital technologies.With virtual reality still making its baby steps, nowadays everything has AI slapped on it and marketed as one way or another. There is no social media platform around which hasn’t integrated or adapted to using AI tools. Or many claim so that it is the future and it is now.

Social Media and Its Impact

Social media has greatly affected us all in more ways than we can imagine or have realized till now. It changed how we communicate, interact, and view the world. Just read back a couple of your comments and messages. How many of them contain an emoji or an abbreviation thanks to social media and the trends that have always been circulating within it.

1. Communication: Social media has changed communication by allowing instant global interactions. It helps people keep up with friends and family, make new connections, and overcome geographical distances. These platforms are now key for staying in touch, sharing updates, and joining discussions.
2. Cultural Influence: Social media has played and plays a significant role in shaping trends and the norm. It keeps on shaping how people engage with media and each other. Influencing what they think of celebrities and companies, or how they perceive them. In its simplest form, it influences its users. Hence influencers came to be. Viral content and memes came to be, affecting how people interact with media and each other.
3. Business and Marketing: Businesses swooped up social media and immediately blended the platforms into their marketing schemes. There is no business plan and marketing without a social media entry in it. It was a collaboration made in Heaven. Businesses got insight on who prefers what and how through algorithms and social media platforms banked in on this ever since.
4. Politics and Activism: Do we even need to delve into this that much? Anyone who is anyone has a social media account or two. Which platform allows what, and to what extent is up to them to decide. Do these parties and politicians comply with those rules and policies is a different story. Information spreads quickly on social media, which is a double edged sword unfortunately. That is how support towards an idea or somebody spreads blazingly fast.
5. Mental Health and Well-being: It has always been debated how much social media affects our mental well being. There is not a lot of thinking to it, it affects us all in a bad way. At least when it is overused. After posting a new picture somewhere or making a snappy comment under a post, how regularly do you check if it has received any interactions? Not to mention if all of that freedom of expression lands in the wrong hands, it can turn into cyberbullying really fast.
6. Education and Learning: Social media provides access to information, educational content, and expert opinions. Online communities and groups support collaborative learning, letting users engage with educational material in interactive ways.
7. E-Commerce Integration: Social media platforms have sniffed something pretty interesting. That incorporating e-commerce features would be profitable for all parties involved. Allowing users to shop directly from posts and ads. Shoppable posts, product tags, and in-app checkout options have streamlined our shopping experience. These features have blurred the lines between social interaction and online retail. This trend has reshaped how brands connect with consumers and drive sales.
8. Privacy and Data Protection: The big one that everyone has talked about in recent years. We have seen so many court cases and hearings about privacy and data security concerns. Users and policymakers are always fighting for greater transparency. Not to mention control, and protection of personal data. Soon enough social media platforms have started implementing measures to address privacy concerns. Such as data protection policies and user consent mechanisms. All we would need to do is look into the fine lines of privacy policies. It is startling to say the least what can be and will be done with our personal data and privacy.

Conclusion

Social media has become a defining feature of our lives. Think about it for a bit, what do you do when you get up? As soon as you connect to the internet on your phone, you are flooded with notification. Someone liked your post, someone left a heartfelt comment under your picture. Or who knows you went viral thanks to a funny interview or a meme. Social media is here to stay. One way or another we will continue consuming. Online individuals and organizations will keep on creating. One is always dependent on the other. That is how it goes and how social media goes around and around.